Call for Improvement of Instruction Grants Proposals

The Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Center for Teaching Excellence are pleased to sponsor the Improvement of Instruction Grants (IIG) program for the 2008-2009 academic year. This program supports instructional changes that improve undergraduate teaching and learning. Individual faculty members, as well as departmental or interdisciplinary clusters, are invited to apply. Grant funds may support salaries (e.g., staff, graduate students, summer support), operating expenses, or other necessary costs. Past awards have ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, including college and departmental support. The program does not fund purchases of equipment (e.g., computers), extensive travel, course buyouts during the regular academic year, or expenses that are considered routine obligations of the applicant’s department or program.

Each year we define a limited number of areas that are a priority for funding. Ideas and initiatives that do not fall within the priority areas can be submitted via the "Other" category.

2008-2009 Priority Areas

1. Enhancing Intellectual Challenge and Depth We seek proposals that enhance the intellectual challenge and depth of existing or new courses. The proposed improvements should facilitate meaningful engagement with concepts, ideas, and theories and should structure student work that is more sophisticated than recall and short-term mastery of course content. Proposals should not simply add to student workload, rather they need to increase intellectual challenge and depth of understanding. The proposed changes should address one of more of the following:
   

   • Synthesis and organizing of ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships
   • Judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods
   • Application of theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations.
      

2. Peer Teaching We seek proposals for the effective implementation (or improvement) of peer teaching in existing or new courses. Proposals might include innovative plans for undergraduate teaching assistant programs, guided peer tutoring, in-class modules for peer instruction or critique, or other means for students to adopt teaching roles that improve student learning.
    

3. Enhancing Transfer Student Success Nearly one third of all University of Maryland undergraduates are transfer students. We seek proposals to enhance and support their success as UMD students. Proposals should address one or more of the following areas: transfer student learning needs, transfer student course or program success, innovative ways to better engage transfer students as members of the UMD academic community, or ways to foster connections between transfer students and faculty.
    

4. Civic Engagement and Service-Learning We seek proposals that improve student learning through civic engagement and service learning in new and existing courses. The Coalition for Civic Engagement and Leadership has developed a set of student learning outcomes for civic engagement that are intended for use by faculty in course design. Service-learning is a primary vehicle for increasing students' civic knowledge and skills, as well as for students to apply their learning to address community needs. This initiative is jointly funded by the Stamp Student Union and Campus Programs and the Office of Undergraduate Studies. If you have specific questions or would like assistance as you begin to develop an appropriate curriculum design or transformation process, please contact Dr. Barbara Jacoby, Senior Scholar, Stamp Student Union and Campus Programs, 301-314-7253.
    

5. Teaching with Technology
   We seek proposals that improve courses or create new courses in which there is innovated integral use of new or existing E-learning technologies to improve student learning. Enhancements might include innovative uses of ELMS, student response devices ("clickers"), podcasting, wikis, course blogs, etc. This initiative is jointly funded by the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
    

6. Other
   If you have other ideas that would significantly improve undergraduate teaching and student learning and impact a significant population of students but does not fall in any of the above categories, please contact Spencer Benson (see below for contact information) to discuss submission of the proposal.

Proposal Guidelines:

1. The Improvement of Instruction proposals are submitted electronically via the CTE website and must include the following:

   • Applicant name(s), affiliation(s), and contact information;

   • An abstract of not more than 250 words;

   • A proposal narrative not longer than 1200 words, including the following:

     • How the proposed project will result in improved undergraduate instruction and student learning

     • Which priority category it addresses and how it responds to those needs

     • The estimated number of undergraduate students who will benefit by the project

     • An implementation plan and the commitment of the department or program to continue that implementation after the grant year

     • A budget clearly identifying how funds will be applied and any matching support from the department or college

     • Letters indicating any matching support from the department (see below) (letters should be submitted electronically and support from the college should be noted in the dean’s letter to CTE.)

     • Supporting materials that would facilitate the review of the proposal.
       
       

   • All supporting materials are submitted electronically to the IIG site as attachments. This site will be active from Jan 16 2008.
     
     

2. Once the Mar. 3, 2008 deadline has closed proposals will be forwarded to the submitter’s college for review and comment. Colleges will forward to the CTE-UGST the college’s comments and recommendations for support.
   
   

3. Notification of funding decision will be sent in late April, 2008.

4. Center for Teaching Excellence sponsors occasional forums and workshops related to the funded projects. In submitting a grant application you are indicating your willingness to participate in these activities, as well as your commitment to submit interim reports on work supported by the grant and a final progress report in the form of an electronic portfolio.

If you have questions, please contact Spencer Benson, Center for Teaching Excellence, 0405 Marie Mount Hall, 314-1288, or see the CTE web site http://www.cte.umd.edu.

Related Links:
	Submit Proposal Online
	Re-Submit Your Proposal here
	Click here to view abstracts submitted in year 2007-08.